The Heart Child
by Pennyblue-eyes
Summary: Paige travels back in time to meet the sister she so wanted to meet. She ends up bringing a girl home who could end the world.


Disclaimer: Not mine, as usual  
  
Author's Note: I live in Aus, so this may be a little (or a lot) behind.  
  
"Stepping Backwards" Chapter One.  
  
Paige looked around her room with a sigh. It was mingled satisfaction and regret, and she was glad no one had heard it. She was happy to live in The Manor, she was fine with having Prue's old room, and she didn't find the - the - essence of Prue that lived in her room upsetting. She thought it helped her get to know her oldest sister. Pity her sisters didn't share her views. She was getting very sick of the fleeting expressions of sadness of pain that crossed Piper and Phoebe's faces when they walked in. What had it been about Prue that pulled so? Was it just that she had been their sister for a lot longer than Paige? Or she was part of the Charmed Ones? Or did it go deeper? She sighed again and turned back to her diary. Ever since she had accepted that no one wanted to hear her suspicions about Cole or anything else that complicated their lives further than they already were, she'd taken to writing in a diary. It was helpful; now she didn't feel like screaming every time Cole looked at her.  
  
I've always wondered why Piper and Phoebe haven't "gotten over" Prue. She was their sister, but she's been gone for months and there's still something about them I can't place. It's sort of like, when a demon attacks, and they look at me and I get the impression they're saying "Prue could have done it better." I want to know why. Who exactly was my mystery half sister? I'd love to know her personally, not just from pictures and the odd story I get from Piper or Phoebe when they're in the mood. I want-  
  
Paige's musings were broken off as she noticed Piper standing in the doorway. She smiled, and then winced inwardly as Piper looked around sadly. Looking back at Paige though, she hitched a small smile. "Hey honey, whactha doing?" she asked. "Nothing much," Paige replied. "What's up?" "The attic," Piper said pointedly. Paige groaned and Piper laughed. "Come on." "Could you have been any less subtle?" Paige asked, shutting her diary and waiting until Piper had turned around before hiding it under her mattress. She followed her sister up the stairs obediently, and picked the Book up from its stand. She started to flick through it idly. "What are we looking for?" she asked, skipping a few pages with big black crosses on them, and reading the next page. "I don't quite know. Phoebe had some premontion about a girl, and I promised we'd follow it up." Piper said, sitting down and apparently thinking hard. "A girl? Well, that knocks out half the population, and why isn't Phoebe here doing it as well?" Paige regretted the way her voice sounded childish the minute she finished the question. But it was too late. "She's out at some business lunch party with Cole. And I know she was vague, but even the smallest clues can help us, - honey, what are you looking at?" Piper asked, watching as her sister's eyes grew round, and she scanned the page eagerly. "Did you find it?" "Oh -no," Paige said, still reading, "I'll keep looking if you want, you can go." She scanned the page happily. It was a time spell; where you could swap with you from however far back you wanted. Just think, she thought happily, I can follow Prue, and I'd get to know her but she wouldn't suspect me, nor would Piper and Phoebe, which means I'd be safe. Piper was still looking at her sister curiously. She'd been left with the Book before, and it wasn't the best idea. Paige noticed the look and frowned. "What, you still don't trust me by myself? Ok, I have taken the book before, but I didn't know what I was doing then. Please give me a break Piper." Her voice was sharp, and she hadn't intended it to be. Piper looked shocked, then smiled apologetically. "You're right, of course. I'll just be down in the kitchen," she said, getting up and crossing to the stairs. "Oh, and if you find her, give me a yell, hmm?" "Uh huh," Paige replied distractedly. She was still staring at the spell on the page, ticking off the ingredients with her mind. Yes... yes ... yes ... no, but Piper had some in the kitchen ... yes ... yes. Well, she had all the ingredients. Excellent. She could do it... as soon as she could get Piper out of the house. She flicked a couple of pages, and found a girl. She looked about eight, and there wasn't too much on her. Pure soul, unable to fight, but she was a major part of everything. Kill her, and slowly but surely, evil would win. Commonly known as the "Heart Child." Interesting, Paige thought. Very interesting. This little girl was Evil's key to pretty much the whole world, and they hadn't attacked her yet? ... kept entirely under wraps, no one outside this family knows about her... hidden in the past... ah. well, that explained it. Now it's time to give Piper a yell. Instead, she ran down to the kitchen. She found Piper immersed in a cookbook. "What's up?" "Hmm? I was just looking for dinner. Phoebe and Cole are coming, to see what we've found." Piper said, turning pages. "Oh, they need a proper reason now?" Paige asked bitchily. "Paige!" Piper said, shocked. "Sorry, that was uncalled for," Paige apologised, then grinned. "Guess what? Found her. I think." She held up the book in her hand. "Look." "Another prophecy? God, I've had enough of those. Let's see." Exchanging cookbook for witchbook, Piper scanned the page. "Wow. How careful would you have to be with this chick? She could wipe out everything even if she died from an accident. And either our family kicks ass, or the demons are very bad at searching for people." "I don't even think they know she exists," Paige replied. "See, no one knows about her, she'd have to be a very big secret or else our world would be over. Even we wouldn't be able to do anything." "Wow." Piper looked up at her sister. "Then we've got our work cut out, finding this 'Heart Child' before anyone else. Here, there's a name. Sara Winter. That's pretty." Paige heard the door open, and quickly picked up the book. Turning around and heading for the stairs, she stopped when she heard Phoebe's voice. "Running away hey?" "Phoebe! I didn't see you. Course I didn't, I'd turned around. But anyway, how are you?" Paige put the book down and hugged her sister. Phoebe had become so busy since she'd moved out, it was like - well, she now had a life other than the one with her sisters. Well, she did actually. With Cole. "I'm fine. Did you find this girl? Sorry I couldn't give you much, but that's all I saw." Phoebe gazed expectantly at Paige, who was about to answer when Cole walked in. "Hey, Paige." That grin he gave her pissed her off completely. As if he knew exactly what she thought of him and he didn't care. "You found something?" "Yes, actually. I thought you guys were at some lunch?" Paige asked, then kept on without a response. "Some little girl, called the 'Heart Child'. She's hidden from evil, no one even knows she exists. If you kill her, eventually evil will win. We couldn't stop it, and neither could anyone else. She's hidden somewhere, in time. Her name's Sara Winter." Paige rattled all this off, then considered. She couldn't beleive she'd just said all this in front of Cole. But... that was silly, wasn't it? Cole wasn't evil now. He wasn't. He couldn't be. But the thing was, she didn't believe that. And the little hairs on the back of her neck were prickling. She'd done something wrong. She was sure of it. 


End file.
